1. Technical Field
This invention relates to print processing systems. More particularly, this invention relates to methods and apparatus for submitting print jobs to printing systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years, software and hardware products for connecting computer equipment together to form networked computer systems has become more prevalent. For example, it is common today for computers to be connected together in computer networks. Such networked computer systems allow users to freely communicate information with one another. In addition, computer networks allow multiple computers to share computer resources, such as printers, copiers, facsimile machines, storage devices and other computer resources.
For example, FIG. 1 illustrates a previously known networked computer system that allows multiple users to share print output equipment. In particular, networked printing system 10 includes multiple client computers 12 coupled via network 14 to print controller 16 and printer 18. Client computers 12 may be desktop computers, laptop computers, handheld computers, computer workstations, personal digital assistants, cellular telephones, or other similar client computer devices. Network 14 may be a local area network, wide area network, wireless network, cellular network, the Internet, or other similar network or combination of such networks. Print controller 16 may be a computer device that, among other things, enables a print output device, such as printer 18, to function as a networked printer. Printer 18 may be a laser printer, inkjet printer, copier, plotter, printing press, or other similar print output device.
Client computers 12 may submit print jobs to print controller 16 for printing on printer 18. For example, a user of client computer 121 may issue a print command from within application program 201 (e.g., a page layout program), which may then call a print driver to create a print job. The print driver may create the print job in a page description language (“PDL”), such as PostScript, and may then submit the print job to print controller 16 via network 14. Print controller 16 may receive the print job via network interface 22, such as an Ethernet network interface card. Print controller 16 may include front-end application 24, which may be used to assign the received print job to one of print queues 26. Each print queue 26 may have an associated function. For example, print queue 261 may be a high-priority queue for immediate printing, print queue 262 may be a normal-priority queue for printing print jobs in sequential order, print queue 263 may be a queue for holding print jobs for subsequent printing, and so on.
Front-end application 24 may include software that assigns incoming print jobs to print queues 26 based on various user-specified options. For example, if a user specifies that a print job is a “rush” job that requires immediate printing, front-end application 24 may assign the rush print job to print queue 261. In contrast, if a user does not request priority processing, front-end application 24 may assign the normal-priority print job to print queue 262. Back-end application 28 may include software and/or hardware that de-spools print jobs from print queues 26, converts print jobs from PDL to raster data, and then provides the raster data to printer 18 for printing.
Although this print workflow may be appropriate for many printing requirements, there are numerous instances in which such a networked print workflow is inconvenient or inapplicable. For example, a user without network access (e.g., a visitor) may find it very difficult to print a document on networked printing system 10. To do so, the visitor typically must send or provide an electronic copy of the document to a user of one of client computers 12 (e.g., via email), who may then submit the print job via network 14 to print controller 16. If the visitor does not have immediate email access, it may be very difficult to print the document. Although the visitor may have the document available on portable storage media (e.g., floppy disk), the computer usage policy at the visiting site may prohibit visitors from using client computers 12 for network printing. Further, the visitor may be reluctant to provide electronic copies of the document in this manner because the content may be easily copied by the user, or the content may be intercepted by an unauthorized user of network 14.
Likewise, previously known networked printing system 10 may be inappropriate for printing sensitive material, particularly if print controller 16 and printer 18 are located in a common area that may be accessed by numerous users. For example, a user of client computer 121 may want to submit a confidential print job to print controller 16 for printing on printer 18. To prevent unintended viewing of the document by other users, the user may submit the print job, and then attempt to reach the printer 18 before printing begins. The user may not make it in time, or may get distracted on the way to printer 18. As a result, the document may be viewed by other users and document security may be compromised.
One possible solution to these problems is to provide print jobs to print controller 16 via portable storage media, such as a magnetic or optical disk. For example, if print controller 16 includes a CD-ROM drive and a user interface, the user may load a CD that includes a desired print job into the CD-ROM drive, and may then transfer the print job from the CD to one of print queues 26 via the user interface. Although this may solve the above-mentioned network access and security problems, this solution may be prohibitively costly, and may create other more serious security concerns. In particular, the addition of a dedicated magnetic or optical disk drive and user interface may substantially increase the cost of print controller 16, and therefore may be undesirable. As a result, many low-cost print controllers may not include such dedicated hardware, and thus this solution may not be available in all instances. Further, a system operator may be reluctant to provide a print controller 16 with a user interface that may be accessible to all users for fear that such access may be used to disrupt system resources.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide methods and apparatus for submitting print jobs to networked print devices without requiring network access.
It further would be desirable to provide methods and apparatus for submitting print jobs to a networked print controller without requiring that the print controller include dedicated magnetic or optical storage readers.
It also would be desirable to provide methods and apparatus for submitting print jobs to a networked print controller without requiring that the print controller include a user interface.